Fifth-inning outburst keys Captial One win

Tuesday

Jun 27, 2006 at 12:01 AMJun 27, 2006 at 5:23 PM

Raymond Legendre Staff Writer

NAPOLEONVILLE -- Depending on what side you were for, the fifth inning of Monday nightís Swampland Summer League contest between the Capitol One Cardinals and Assumption-based Supreme Collision/Richardís Pharmacy was either a blessed event or a car crash.

The two teams entered the fifth tied at 1, before Capitol One erupted for 16 runs. The first 13 Cardinals to step to the plate in the top of the fifth reached base as the visitors took advantage of nine hits, two walks, two hits batsmen and four Supreme errors.

With its damage beyond repair, Supreme scraped across four runs in the bottom portion of the inning, to make the final score of 17-5 slightly more respectable. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

"We waited for some good pitches and hit them hard," Capitol One coach Lance Ford said. "We didnít do that the first four innings. We were swinging at balls and popping the ball up, but we were patient in the fifth inning and got some pitches to hit."

Capitol One improved to 12-3 and can wrap up home field advantage in Saturdayís Swampland Summer League playoffs, if it can defeat Lutcher-based Imperial Sugars at 5 p.m. today at E.D. White Catholic High.

"Hopefully we can get a win there and get to play the semifinals and finals at home," Ford said. "I think it will definitely help."

Capitol Oneís 16-run fifth inning started small with the Cardinals trying to move courtesy runner Chris Boudreaux -- running for catcher Jordan Lirette -- over with a bunt.

With no outs and Boudreaux on first, Jordan Leblanc showed bunt but he didnít get a chance to lay a sacrifice down as Supreme starter Bart Bolotte walked him. The next batter -- Drey Trosclair -- laid down a bunt near the third base line, which Bolotte picked up and threw wildly to first allowing courtesy runner Chris Boudreaux to score from second for a 3-1 edge.

"The second guyís intention was to bunt and we walked him, then the third guy bunted and we threw the ball away," Supreme coach Daniel Manry said. "That pretty much opened the floodgates. After that, they came out and started hitting shots."

Bolotte exited the game down 3-1 with no outs and the bases loaded, and after that point, Supremeís relievers were forced to hold on for the ride.

Lefty John Gauthier walked Jordy Toups with the bases loaded and then served up Max Ledetís two-run double to the center field wall, which gave the Cardinals a 6-1 lead.

Gauthier was pulled following Ledetís double and his replacement Bo Leblanc promptly allowed an RBI single to Caleb Prestenbach and a two-run double to Jacob Knight. Lirette added a two-run double down the left field line to put the Cardinals up 11-1.

After Bo Leblanc hit Jordan Leblanc and Trosclair with pitches to load the bases, Knight recorded the inningís first out on an RBI sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 11 runs. Capitol One added five more runs in the frame, three of which came on Supreme errors.

Supreme (2-10) got two of those runs back in the fifth on a fielding error by Knight, who was playing shortstop after starting shortstop Scott Rodrigue was ejected in the first inning for arguing a third strike call. The host team mustered two more runs on Bart Bolotteís RBI groundout and Ben Talbotís RBI single.